Soft palate cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the cells of the soft palate. Your soft palate is located on the upper portion of the back of your mouth, behind your teeth.

Soft palate cancer is considered a type of throat cancer. Doctors treat soft palate cancer similarly to the way they treat other types of throat cancers — often with a combination of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

Teamwork. At Mayo Clinic, ear, nose and throat (otorhinolaryngology) specialists work as a team with radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, pathologists, dietitians and plastic surgeons to care for people with soft palate cancer. Other professionals are included as needed.

A full range of treatment options to consider. Mayo Clinic doctors will work with you to review all of your treatment options and choose the treatment that best suits your needs and goals. The range of treatments offered to people with soft palate cancer includes radiation, chemotherapy and several surgical procedures, including minimally invasive and traditional operations.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., are ranked among the Best Hospitals for cancer by U.S. News & World Report. Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., is ranked high performing for cancer by U.S. News & World Report.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., are ranked among the Best Hospitals for cancer by U.S. News & World Report. Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., is ranked high performing for cancer by U.S. News & World Report.

For appointments or more information, call the Central Appointment Office at 800-446-2279 (toll-free) 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mountain Standard Time, Monday through Friday or complete an online appointment request form.

Examining your soft palate. Your doctor will use a mirror or tiny camera to examine your soft palate and other structures in your throat.

Removing a tissue sample for testing. Your doctor will remove an area of suspicious tissue (biopsy) and send it to a lab for testing. In the lab, specially trained doctors (pathologists) will look for signs of cancer.

Treatment for soft palate cancer depends on many factors, such as the size and location of your cancer, your overall health and your preferences. Treatment options may include:

Surgery. During surgery for soft palate cancer, skilled surgeons trained in removing throat cancers will work to remove your cancer.

If the cancer is small, it may be removed during a short operation that won't require a hospital stay. Larger cancers may require more-extensive operations. When the cancer has spread to the neck lymph nodes, lymph node removal may be necessary.

Mayo Clinic's innovative surgical techniques can remove the cancer and provide the best possible function. For example, in transoral robotic surgery, which is less invasive than conventional surgery, skilled surgeons use special instruments to view the soft palate through the mouth and nose.

Radiation therapy. Radiation therapy can be used alone or with chemotherapy or surgery to treat soft palate cancers of all stages.

Chemotherapy. Experienced medical oncologists prescribe chemotherapy — which can be administered through a vein, by mouth or both — to treat soft palate cancer that has spread beyond the throat. Chemotherapy may also be combined with radiation therapy.

Reconstructive surgery. Depending on the location and spread of the cancer, reconstructive surgery may be necessary. Experienced surgeons work to improve appearance and function through reconstruction of the soft palate to restore speech and swallowing function.

Rehabilitative services. To assist in recovery, health care providers at Mayo Clinic offer many rehabilitative services, including speech therapy, dietary counseling and physical and occupational therapy. In addition, the Nicotine Dependence Center can help people who want to stop using tobacco.

Mayo Clinic doctors and scientist are working to develop new ways of diagnosing and treating soft palate cancer and other throat cancers. Areas of focus include head and neck surgery research.

Cancer research is conducted in coordination with the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center. The Mayo Clinic Cancer Center receives funding from the National Cancer Institute and is designated as a comprehensive cancer center — recognition for an institution's scientific excellence and multidisciplinary resources focused on cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Publications

See a list of publications from Mayo Clinic authors on soft palate cancer on PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine.

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